Finish

It's hard to believe that it's been almost two months since I was strolling around in the Mexican  sunshine eating delicious tacos. I thought I had escaped the worst of the Dutch winter, but February brought snow and Siberian winds that bit hard - with windchill factored in, it was somehow colder in Amsterdam than it ever was in Antarctica. On the bright side, this was perfect staying in weather, which gave me plenty of time to reflect on my experiences during the previous three months on the other side of the world.

I'll get my contentious opinion out of the way first - as much as I enjoyed South America, and notwithstanding the fact that I had some amazing experiences, I still prefer Asia. This might not be a fair comparison - when travelling in Asia, I had no deadline, and I've lived in the continent a little since then - but still, there are other reasons for my preference also. Asia, certainly in parts, is different. It has cultures and history that completely plough their own path, and share little in common with Europe. South America, on the other hand, always felt, to a certain degree, familiar. The cultures unique to the region have been mostly subsumed into colonial Spanish culture, which isn't far removed from modern Spanish culture, which in turn isn't that far removed (in world terms) from the culture of other European countries, including the ones where I grew up and currently live. In fact, this trip has made me realise that the only parts of the world where you truly can experience a culture that is different, are Asia or Africa. Africa is the only continent I've yet to visit. I hope to change that soon.

There are other factors in my lesser enjoyment of South America of course. Generally, as a lone traveller, I found it more difficult than I expected to meet other travellers. Especially in the early parts of the trip, most other travellers were in little groups, on short-term holidays, and not that interested in mixing. It got to the point where I was looking forward to the organised trips - the Galapagos, the Inca Trail - because it meant that I was guaranteed some company for a few days. I don't remember this being the case when I travelled alone in Asia.

The tight time deadline also played a part in lowering my enjoyment. I always felt the invisible pressure on my back - the pressure to push on, to see the next place, to make as much out of the 90 days as possible. I went through spells where I got sick of this, and tried to relax in one place, but there was always a date looming. The Inca Trail and Antarctica had to be booked in advanced, at certain dates, and they in effect split the trip up into three parts, with a deadline at the end of each. I still vividly remember, from my Asia trip, the glorious freedom of being able to spend a week somewhere just because you liked the vibe of the place.

But really, in the end, I can't complain, I really can't. When I think about the suffering that's happening in the world, the famine, the displacement, and when I think about the struggles of ordinary people, being constrained by circumstance or misfortune, my own ability to even do a trip like this, to be able to saunter around a continent for months and not work, is almost grotesque. I am incredibly fucking lucky to be born in the right place, at the right time, and fall into the right line of work to be able to do this. I didn't enjoy every moment, but that's life, and overall I had some incredible, unforgettable experiences on this trip, and I have no regrets.

Here's the final definitive record of where I went and what I did: Polarsteps South America 2017

Thanks for reading.